Gu Yi, who had always studied the words of sages and considered himself a gentleman, suddenly recalled a passage from a storybook thrown to him by Hu Lele during their time in the countryside, detailing a particularly "entangled" affair between two men.
The "cut-sleeve habit" seemed to be branded onto the forehead of the man before him.
In this moment, the frail scholar instantly bristled.
"Brother, you... you misunderstand. I, I, I... do not like men."
Gu Yi paid no mind to how wet his white inner garment had become.
He gripped the edge of the tub with his hands, determined to jump out.
But... the loosely fitting underpants, during the pulling and tugging between the Evil King and Gu Yi, completely slipped down.
The Evil King and Gu Yi both froze simultaneously.
The black lips curved into a teasing smile.
At this moment, his mind was blank, and only those few words seemed to appear before his eyes.
His cheeks burned, his entire face flushing red, then white, then red again.
"Bang!"
The door was kicked open by someone.
The Evil King's face immediately turned cold. He raised his hand and swept aside the bed curtain, which fell directly onto Gu Yi's head, covering his entire body.
Only then did the Evil King look towards the door.
The intruder was the inn's waiter.
He was still on the ground, not yet risen.
Water from the bathtub splashed out. The Evil King leaped out from within, standing before the waiter with his hands behind his back, his voice as cold as ice, "Is there something?"
It was as if an invisible, sharp knife was held against his throat.
The waiter scrambled to his feet, his fingers trembling as he handed a letter to the Evil King.
The Evil King opened it and, reading the contents, frowned. He turned to look at Gu Yi.
At this moment, Gu Yi, through his own "unremitting efforts," had lifted the bed curtain that had fallen over his head, folded it, and wrapped it around himself to maintain his dignity.
He saw the Evil King looking at him and asked with a bewildered expression, "What is it?"
"Your two little ones have been taken."
The Evil King flicked his fingers, and the letter that had been in his hand, carried by an unknown gust of evil wind, floated to Gu Yi's hand.
After reading the letter, Gu Yi panicked.
"What should we do? Xiao Nian and Ke Ke have been kidnapped by bad guys! No, no! I'll go to the Gu Manor immediately to inform Grandfather and Eldest Brother Gu Ye Feng, so they can help search for Xiao Nian and Ke Ke."
He stepped out in his wet shoes and socks, wrapped in an incredibly ugly bed curtain, and hurried outside.
Normally, even if he wore worn-out clothes, he would keep them clean and tidy.
Gu Yi, who had never been so flustered, could no longer care about his appearance.
However, as he walked past the Evil King, he was grabbed by the hand.
Gu Yi turned to look at him.
Due to his urgency, his tongue trembled as he spoke, "Brother... I still have..."
"What are you panicking about! Isn't there me? Those two brats won't die."
To Gu Yi's utter bewilderment, the Evil King put an arm around him and flew away with him.
The waiter, left behind, watched the figures of the two disappear.
He was covered in sweat and suddenly remembered something, shouting, "Two guests, you haven't paid the bill yet!"
...
The next day.
Nangong Mo, Du Chun, the Sixth Prince Nangong Li, and Meng Yi, after finishing their breakfast, accompanied a slender figure sent by Tian Ji Wu Chang to Yin Mountain.
Before they left, although Luo Laya taunted him verbally, she still handed the safety pouch she had sewn overnight to the Sixth Prince Nangong Li and embroidered her name on it.
Gu Qianying also came to bid farewell to Nangong Mo, Du Chun, and the others.
"Wife, you must keep your word, no following."
Nangong Mo was still uneasy. He pinched Gu Qianying's cheek and specifically cautioned her for a long time.
"Alright, alright, I know, don't worry."
Gu Qianying responded very quickly.
Nangong Mo looked at her, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and depart, or it will be dark again."
Nangong Mo ruffled Gu Qianying's hair, "Remember well, no following, otherwise... I, the King... will do 'bad things'!"
Nangong Mo deliberately slowed his speech for the term "bad things," and his voice also changed from before.
Those who didn't understand were confused, but those who did understood!
Gu Qianying's face instantly turned red.
The servants around them lowered their heads, their cheeks also burning.
When sending off Nangong Mo and the others, Tian Ji Wu Chang and his daughter Wu Zhiruo both appeared.
Tian Ji Wu Chang also admonished Nangong Mo and the others in front of everyone.
His daughter, Wu Zhiruo, merely smiled and said nothing more.
After several days of recuperation and lying in bed, Wu Zhiruo's fetus was finally stable.
She was now able to get out of bed and walk.
"Divine Doctor Gu, please wait."
Nangong Mo, Du Chun, and the others had already left.
Wu Zhiruo, supported by her maids, called out to Gu Qianying, who was about to return to her room to rest.
Gu Qianying turned to look at her, "Is something wrong?"
Luo Laya also looked at Wu Zhiruo; she remained silent.
Lu Zhu stood behind Gu Qianying.
"Mm..."
Wu Zhiruo glanced at Luo Laya and Lu Zhu.
"Oh, Lu Zhu and I have something else to do. You two chat."
Luo Laya tugged at Lu Zhu's sleeve and left.
Tian Ji Wu Chang also returned to his private room.
When only Gu Qianying and Wu Zhiruo were in the room, Wu Zhiruo took Gu Qianying's hand, invited her to sit down, and instructed her servants to bring out the table of dishes she had prepared.
"Divine Doctor Gu, you saved me and preserved the fetus in my womb. I have nothing to repay you with. These are some dishes I personally cooked. Please taste them."
Wu Zhiruo smiled and served Gu Qianying some food.
Gu Qianying looked at her, not picking up her chopsticks.
Wu Zhiruo became a little nervous under Gu Qianying's gaze, "Divine Doctor Gu, why are you looking at me? Hurry and taste them. I haven't cooked personally in a long time."
"Isn't it tiring to cook yourself?"
Gu Qianying looked at her and suddenly uttered this sentence coldly.
Wu Zhiruo was startled, and the chopsticks in her hand slipped, almost falling.
Her expression became somewhat awkward. She touched her belly, "It's not tiring. As long as you like it, I'm not tired at all."
Wu Zhiruo looked at Gu Qianying, who was still not picking up her chopsticks, and urged, "Divine Doctor Gu... what? You don't like it? Why aren't you eating? Hurry and taste it."
After several urgings, Gu Qianying finally picked up her chopsticks, took a small portion of food, and placed it in her porcelain bowl.
Wu Zhiruo watched her nervously.
As Gu Qianying lowered her head to start eating, she suddenly looked up again, "Have you thought it through?"
Gu Qianying's gaze made Wu Zhiruo uncomfortable.
She tightly clutched her embroidered pouch, wearing a fake smile, "Thought what through? Divine Doctor Gu, what do you mean by that?"
"Nothing."
Gu Qianying said no more, picking up the dishes on the table with her chopsticks and eating.
"Mmm... the taste is very good... but..."